How to Whitewash Brick with Paint | Ask This Old House

Ask This Old House painter Mauro Henrique updates a fireplace surround with a whitewashed look
SUBSCRIBE to This Old House: bit.ly/Subscrib...
Time: 2 hours
Cost: $100
Skill Level: Moderate
Tools List for Whitewashing Brick:
Paint Brushes
Rags
Buckets
Shopping List:
Water Based Paint
Painter’s Tape
Masking Paper
Drop Cloths
Stir stick
Latex gloves
Steps:
1. Before doing any work, use painter’s tape, masking paper, and drop cloths to ensure paint only ends up on the brick.
2. Mix a flat, water-based paint with water in a bucket at a 1:1 ratio.
3. Paint the watered down paint onto the brick with a wide paint brush. Immediately follow behind with a rag to dab off some paint until the desired effect is achieved.
Resources:
For the fireplace, Mauro watered down a can of Ultra Spec 500 flat white primer, manufactured by Benjamin Moore (www.benjaminmo.... He didn’t touch the firebox, but if he did, he would need to use a heat resistant paint.
The other materials Mauro used to paint the fireplace, including the buckets, rags, and paint brushes can all be found at home centers and paint stores.
About Ask This Old House TV:
Homeowners have a virtual truckload of questions for us on smaller projects, and we're ready to answer. Ask This Old House solves the steady stream of home improvement problems faced by our viewers-and we make house calls! Ask This Old House features some familiar faces from This Old House, including Kevin O'Connor, general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, and landscape contractor Roger Cook.
Follow This Old House and Ask This Old House:
Facebook: bit.ly/ThisOldH...
Twitter: bit.ly/ThisOldH...
bit.ly/AskTOHTw...
Pinterest: bit.ly/ThisOldH...
Instagram: bit.ly/ThisOldH...
bit.ly/AskTOHIG
Tumblr: bit.ly/ThisOldH...
For more on This Old House and Ask This Old House, visit us at: bit.ly/ThisOldH...
How to Whitewash Brick with Paint | Ask This Old House
/ thisoldhouse

[@cup_and_cone]

That was a really pretty fireplace before...

[@cptspinach]

Meh...

[@jsagers2008]

@@ThisAccountIsNeverUsed Boomers

[@WoodshavenPatriot]

It was dated.... painted brick inside our house, fireplace to start, and it brightened things up tremendously.

[@nickstawczyk4749]

They both look fine but in my opinion it looked a lot better with the unpainted brick. I don’t know why people would ruin beautiful brick like that

[@bngr_bngr]

Stawzcar101 my neighbor painted the brick facade of their home blue.

[@SUPERFLY-ky7yh]

because every one else is doing it. They don't realize the beauty of natural brick. Just putting a clear seal coat can really bring out the natural colors.

[@melissap9416]

Cause it looks dated and 80’s

[@bludika]

white people lol

[@werper09]

@@melissap9416 plus red brick usually doesn't go as well with things as white.

[@simpleagain1]

I love the look of brick that’s been painted and the paint has faded off over the years. Gorgeous

[@TheCristo68]

looks like crap

[@anton1949]

Very nice stairway, glad you left it alone.

[@Jigsawmaster1]

Even Santa would stay away from that fireplace.

[@Dominic.Minischetti]

John McLain That was the best reply! 😂

[@calebburns4346]

I do not like that at all. To each there own

[@nickgoldyscreams]

Dear comments section, Stop acting like This Old House decided anything. The homeowner told the painter what he wanted, and the painter did the best he could to make it aesthetically pleasing. Your opinions are just opinions because this video is called "How To Whitewash Brick with Paint." And that is exactly what happened. The end.

[@gibsonblogger]

A 'milk paint' containing lime works well too.

[@anthonynatas5008]

I love brick, but those bricks look synthetic. I could see why he wanted to cover them.

[@SUPERFLY-ky7yh]

that's a good point that most people didn't notice.

[@KenMrKLC]

I agree with the majority..... I can't make this look good in my head under any circumstance.

[@iq9488]

Mark looks stoned out of this world, he is in another universe.

[@Kushert]

Wtf just happened?

[@augustreil]

Ruined the fireplace is just WTFH !!

[@andrewleonard3623]

Tim C they ruined a fire place. That’s what happened.

[@lupsy54]

I love it it has a farm house vintage look!

[@mvrckred]

Painting that brick makes me sad.

[@SUPERFLY-ky7yh]

some day the natural brick look will be back in fashion, then what?

[@megj3598]

@@SUPERFLY-ky7yh then we put veneer on! My plan

[@billymacktexasdetective5827]

Take a Prozac and reevaluate your life, ok?

[@quartzofcourse]

I thought they were going to make it totally white which I don’t really approve of but could be done well, instead this looks even worse and half assed like they didn’t get good paint and never finished

[@Jake-jg7kx]

I personally don’t like it but the home owner does and that is the main thing

[@Reefdevil]

should have just painted it a solid offwhite...

[@cheslynholland1487]

Looks great.Good job guys.

[@shultzy5220]

Nobody at ATOH looked at this and thought "We made something beautiful look terrible, let's not post this on KZbin."

[@core8967]

3:06 he’s thinking wtf did I just do :/

[@janetgernand9123]

Some people use chalk paint instead of flat latex paint. Does anyone know if there’s an advantage, or if you can tell a difference, between chalk paint over flat white latex paint after it’s been watered down?

[@ThorneyGryffon]

Better solution is to paint the walls a more muted color and get rid of the rental unit white. Then the fireplace won't contrast as strong. I am a fan of the older use of color on walls and not just shades of white or pastel. I painted the bedroom for my wife a deep rose red and it looks incredible. The house is 100 yrs old and the color blends in to the character.

[@terry1935]

its too much pink-not what he was looking for. he wanted 75% white, 25% brick. he got the opposite, I just watched another video where the result was the same and to fix it they simply put on a light second coat with an antique white and it completely changed the look. it was beautiful

[@dontakeshit]

I don't think he knows what he wanted

[@seanpetersen9326]

Great job guys. Thanks for sharing knowledge.

[@nax1807]

Great! My kids crying because of this

[@alegator7249]

This video should be renamed How To Devalue Your House

[@JAllyFarms]

I dont have the same opinion of painting brick. I believe brick should never be painted

[@madtunerz4137]

Tbh I actually like the whitewash look. At first I thought it looked stupid but then it grew on me. It actually looks really pretty

[@SUPERFLY-ky7yh]

you can use brick stain as well.

[@alegator7249]

That looks like the first coat of a cheap primer

[@umarah4329]

Would I be able to white wash paint the bricks inside the chamber? I have a stove burner. Is latex paint safe to use inside a chamber

[@sophiahuber4756]

I LOVED IT!!! :)

[@daioncrumbley2046]

Unintentional asmr

[@RoddyJ]

keep going, great work! 💯😎

[@sadamsimms7700]

The new painter is cool good job

[@core8967]

This is literally the only positive comment. Congrats on going against the grain!

[@sadamsimms7700]

@@core8967 cheers

[@Shadow_wo1f05]

Later him and his wife realize that they messed up lol

[@trickster_qc]

For sure! 😂

[@lindamelaney4301]

because behr paint had labeled are paint wrong it was labled outdoor the numbers were indoor so the paint all went to h--- so now it needs to be scrapped and powerwashed wondering what the best way to repaint are house i am told an oil base primer and then super paint over that....

[@lockabar]

This is one of the saddest TOH I've seen. The home owner was given a chance but decided to F it up anyway. He should have been slapped for this.

[@yaosio]

Time to repaint it red.

[@Otis884]

Looks good both ways, I didn't think it would.

[@dedyduncan3734]

Beautiful!!

[@Guardducks]

One word to describe this FUUGGLLYY !

[@Macarthurmaintenance]

Is it April fools day?

[@Tonyswoodshop]

My favorite part was when they were painting.

[@zippy3711]

Looks like hell.

[@born2burn1]

What they could have done is put a whitewashed wooden / stone ledge on the fireplace with a corresponding moulding on top and bottom. They would achieve a great rustic look without violating the brick.

[@johnthurman5248]

Never in a million years

[@chefbillyx]

WTF DID THEY DO.........

[@verygoodboy2688]

Well I think his only looks bad right now because the tile and inside is completely untouched, so in comparison obviously “antiquing” the outside brick will make it look bad. Once the new tile and gas fireplace are in I think this will actually look nice

[@augustreil]

Can't get more antique with original antique brick compared to what this dude did.

[@anthonyhro1903]

ACTUALLY LOOK NICE? IS YOU CRAZY?

[@sjn7220]

Should have just covered it in drywall then.

[@heathermattioli1939]

Love it. And it the room looks so much less dark!!!

[@bradbennati2600]

Heather Mattioli 🤮

[@1987FX16]

They left without painting the floor and walls white too. Gotta get rid of those dark colors. Who even wants contrast.

[@tictocfinewatches]

No close-up sharp images of the finished brick. Too many obvious brush strokes for my liking from the earlier images, even after the bricks were dabbed. I would have preferred if limestone wash was used. You get more texture and virtually no visible brush strokes. You can do more with it than with watered down paint and have more control over the final look.

[@saulgoodman2018]

I don't know why you people are complaining. Some people like that old looking brick.

[@ThePhilandPam]

I know it’s a very personal choice but I feel painted brick just isn’t a good aesthetic. I suspect when this property is sold on, the new owners will be driven mad trying to get it off.

[@eddiewatson3759]

HOW TO RUIN A FIREPLACE 101

[@neil340]

Where is part 2? You know where they finish the primed brick?

[@josephsubleski3958]

This is part two, part one was replacing a chipped brick by replacing it and they really screwed that up! Part three will be re-bricking the fireplace. LOL!!

[@robstephens]

Or, part three "How to stucco a fireplace."

[@josuemartinez7205]

Nope, didn't like it at all.

[@RonDawsonGuitar]

I wouldn’t call this a “home improvement project”.

[@william8654]

Looks half assed. Looked better before.

[@Montyfarfer]

It looks ugly

[@inoxtate]

Did you checked his legal status?

[@johnjarvis8185]

WHY IN THE HELL WOULD YOU PAINT /WHITEWASH SUCH A GOOD LOOKING BRICK JOB????

[@montanaspring7176]

no offense to the homeowner but i bet when he has company over and he shows them it . They roll their eyes and fake it looking good. If the dude likes it so be it. I drove and lived in a white extended cargo van people guffawed at me but it was carpeted and insulated with wood paneling i absolutely loved it

[@greg_thomson]

That’s horrible

[@flowergrowersmith449]

That looks much better!

[@Watching4Fun_]

More like 'How to ruin your fireplace'.

[@Pendragon501]

How to destroy a fireplace!

[@curiosity2314]

Looks good but I think I might have gone a little off snow white.

[@txshah78]

Bad choice to color it white. U should have listened to the professional painter. All that work for no gain. Why?

[@xblindfolded]

When you're a millennial and have to have everything done for you....

[@masonlastnamehere8597]

xblindfolded ok boomer

[@igfoobar]

Looks like crap.

[@rucksacks]

i think it looks good

[@augustreil]

You are the only one !!

[@anthonyhro1903]

GOOD FOR WHAT? IS YOU CRAZY??

[@PJJ196]

Uhh yikes.. I know the professional was going with what the customer wanted.. but wtf was he thinking loll

[@jayh6727]

The only way to remove the paint is to remove the bricks and start over. Mauro warned the homeowner. This likely lowers the resale value. Very bad idea.

[@bradbennati2600]

Jay H you could tell Mauro didn’t want to do it. “Are you sure”?

[@Chuck59ish]

I wonder how many times they had to go over it to please his wife? The wife always has the final say.

[@Redleader001]

The NPCs need to learn other colors. I am so tired of people painting everything white these days. White and grey are so old at this point and I hate it. Leave the brink alone and let is be its natural color.

[@DrCanadianGamer]

i would never do this or buy a house with whitewashed brick it just ruins the look they should ban whitewashing brick

[@GeorgeNadaYT]

Huh?

[@wshtb]

Why not paint it neon green? It'll look better than this.

[@StoneE4]

Ugly green snow fence surrounding the lake shore (see the previous video) and whitewashing a brick fireplace... This homeowner has horrendous taste.

[@RF-hb9rg]

Looks a lot better.

[@Paula-po9kx]

Beautiful I love the new look

[@matblack9288]

The whitewash does not look good IMO. I like terracotta-colored brick better.

[@odessa870]

I agree! Looks crappy. Very cheap-looking.

[@alexitocraft]

what a bad taste. to me looks horrible. but if that is what they like good for them

[@japan-e9j]

Beautiful

[@moosifulman]

Why would this be prefered?

[@dskize1]

ruined it!!

[@gary24752]

Really bad idea to use a latex paint on brick. It should be a lime based paint.

[@Streetracerex1998]

The next day.. "It looks ugly"

[@bkoz319]

title of the video should be "how to frost a fireplace"

[@malo_2139]

Looks nice

[@1987FX16]

I guarantee in 10ish years there is going to be a inrush of thin brick recovers of fireplaces that were painted by the previous idiot. They should've painted the wood floor white too or put down linoleum overtop. smh

[@DuramaxL5P]

Hideous

[@clearviewtechnical]

Painting a brick house is ALWAYS a BIG MISTAKE! The beauty of bare brick is the many decades of maintenance-free service. Yes, I know it's cool and trendy, but it's a huge dis-service in the long run. The current or future owners will have to scrape and repaint and as the coats of paint accumulate the shorter the life of the paint. Eventually, ALL the paint needs to be sandblasted or removed with paint stripper. And then probably the mortar joints repaired (tuck pointing). So PLEASE just spare the home and future owners of this horrible fad!

[@Mark-sn6kh]

Wife did this to our fireplace... but it looks better than this. Equal parts water and paint, and brush it on. Light gray walls with white trim. The dark fireplace just stuck out. Nothing but compliments for it.

[@lechrisutopia]

Am I the only one who feels that they just lowered the beauty of the brick fireplace??

[@rstewardson4164]

I had to stop watching this episode,

[@jsagers2008]

It looks great boomers. "WHy wOUld yOu pAinT bRiCk?"

[@rhondaburwinkel216]

Truth the brick is ugly. It's considered a quick temporary fix because you'll eventually have a stone front put on. For me this is about economy in the long run! Right now I'm simply looking for options to bring a sense of light into a space with few windows! Not everything is a Boomer issue any more than its your generations issue! Quit playing the blame game!